Prices!

[OHWceta]

Does anyone else feel it's getting rather ridiculous?

80$? 200$? for a single figure? Why are these figures so dang expensive? You can't tell me quality has anything to do with it, I've bought better quality figures for 20$, and from Japan too.

[infinitygundam103]

I must go back to school and major in economics before I can figure out a semi-sensible answer to this.
Still, I do agree that these can get a bit high price wise.

[rubixbox]

I must go back to school and major in economics before I can figure out a semi-sensible answer to this.
Still, I do agree that these can get a bit high price wise.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they're imports. It costs a lot to ship something halfway across, so it drives the prices up on our end; online stores need some way to get that money back.

[O2P9]

Not to mention the dollar isn't as strong as it used to be against the yen. And there's probably just general inflation raising the base price too.

[Mikuo_Hatsune]

Love the Australian Dollar
I think it affects you North Americans more than it does me
as Australias minimum wage is 3-4 Times Canadas and Americas
while at the same time , the Australian Dollar is 1 for 1 with USD
im getting 1.5k a fortnight , so im getting 1.5k in USD/CAD
I think the prices are kind of justified for us atm

[OHWceta]

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they're imports. It costs a lot to ship something halfway across, so it drives the prices up on our end; online stores need some way to get that money back.

I get most other imports for cheap. I think it has to do with Konami's policies as opposed to say....Bandai Japan, ect.

[Vagabond Elf]

Does anyone else feel it's getting rather ridiculous?

80$? 200$? for a single figure? Why are these figures so dang expensive? You can't tell me quality has anything to do with it, I've bought better quality figures for 20$, and from Japan too.

Short answer? Because people are paying it.

As long as they continue to move a reasonable volume of product at those prices, they will continue to charge them.

[Ranalcus]

I can get MG cheaper than a Busou Shinki figure...
It is SICK and WRONG on so many levels.

And I have a question should I buy it on my own via Japanese Internet Shop (I have never bought via Internet from OTHER country) or by a person who is shipping models from Japan?

[OHWceta]

Really, if it's brand new quality in box, just go with whatever has the best price.

Usually it's cheaper to go with a proxy, though for me it's a major hassle, most collectors get good deals streight from Japan through proxy services. Though if you find someone from the U.S. or whatever country applies to you selling them for a price you're willing to pay, then go with them.

There's a thread on here that talks about good proxy sites to buy from and good sites to buy directly from.

P.S. A proxy is a site that obtains the item for you directly from Japan and sends it to you, usually for a slightly higher cost than the product sells in Japan as a "service fee". Helpful if you don't know any Japanese
(If you can read Japanese buy it directly from Japan without the proxy), the proxy costs are usually cheaper than the product goes for in say, the U.S. after import fees and all that junk, but you're dealing with a middleman, it's rather time consuming emailing them about the item, waiting for a response, and waiting for them to obtain it so you can buy it through them, then setting up a payment plan.

Either way the cheapest I've found an Altines model is near 100$ plus shipping.

[Hylian Pirate]

Er, proxies are generally only for limited or exclusive releases like Arnval and Strarf Mk 2 and Altines. I think most of us use Amiami for regular release models. HLJ is probably next in line. The only thing that might put someone off about Amiami is that they only accept PayPal outside of Japan. I know Halconfenix has issues with PayPal in his country. If it's a regular release you're looking for, please, go to one of those places before you pay for a proxy service...